Ruminations of an Expatriate

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Thursday, January 31st, 2008...5:51 pm

My Dash To D. F.

This morning at 2:15 I departed the CAXA bus station here, aboard an ADO GL bus, for the five hour trip to Mexico City, where I visited the USA embassy to apply for a new passport.

I arrived in D. F. about 7:20 and caught a cab for the half hour trip across the city to the embassy, arriving just a few minutes before the passport office opening at 8:00 (it closes at 10:30 AM, by the way.) I explained my business to a friendly member of the Mexican embassy protection police, who directed me where to wait. It was considerably chillier there than here, owing, I suppose, to the higher altitude.

Within ten minutes the guard indicated I should enter the building. The security was a hassle but everyone I dealt with, except for two they were all Mexicans.

I had visited the State Dept. web site, downloaded and completed the applications, and confirmed which documents and photos I must submit with the application.

All was in good order and by 9:30 I was done. Not wishing to do the D. F. tourist thing, I caught a taxi out front and was back at the TAPO bus station a bit before 10:00. Being hungry I chose to buy a ticket for the 11:00 AM bus so I could have breakfast.

The TAPO station, through which I traveled on my way to Guanajuato, is constructed in a circle with the various ticket counters arrayed around the inside of the circle, corresponding to each line’s departure platforms along the outside of the circle. At the center of the station is a circular array of food vendors with an internet cafe at the center.

I arrived back home by 3:30 and expect to receive my passport through a courier service within three weeks. Mexico City is huge and there is lots of traffic. Maybe one day I’ll work up the courage to visit for a couple of days.

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